Stephen wills vale



(No'Model.)

S. W. VALE. AMALGAMATING MACHINE.

No. 507,465. m Patented Oct. 24, 18934..

W/TNESSES.'

ATTO/MEVl UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

lSTEPHEN WILLS VALE, OF FOREST LODGE, NEAR SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES.

AMALGAMATlNG-MACHIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,465, dated October 24, 1893.

Application filed December 29, 1892. Serial No. 456.726. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN WILLs VALE, mining engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Forest Lodge, near Sydney, in the British Colony of New South Wales, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amalgamating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in amalgamating machines which have rotary mullers and stationary pans and it has been specially devised in order to produce a comparatively cheaply constructed and economically operated amalgamating pan which will effectively treat all classes of discrete metf alliferous material for the amalgamation of the precious metals therein.

In order that this invention maybe clearly understood reference will now be made to the drawings herewith in which- Figure l is a central vertical section of an amalgamating machine constructed according to these present improvements the section being taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 2 is a plan partly in sectional plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a partial plan in reverse on the planes 0c, y, z in Fig. 1.

The stationary pan has a circular periphery A, an outer mercury well A deeper than the annular mercury space A2 formed by stop or step to surface or bottom A3 (preferably an amalgamating surface) from which rises the sleeve or trunk A4 around the central vertical spindle B and a sleeve or hollow spindle thereon hereinafter described and having a bearing A5 on said sleeve or spindle. This central spindle B is supported at the bottom on a center pin B in step bearing B2 and at the top has a bearing B3 in a erosshead or frame A7 reaching from the upper peripheral edges A of the pan. At its lower end it has affixed to it a bevel toothed wheel B4 in gear with a bevel toothed pinion O of a countershaft O. The pan is set upon and axed to a suitable foundation preferably in the form of a frame D on a base frame or sole D which also carries the bearing O2 and may be the outer bearing of the shaft C. The rotary muller has an annular plate or disk E and a central through trunk E to the top of which con- 'metal shoes E4 forming recesses at their junctions for radial wooden battens or slats E5 and it carries on its under face curved agitators or Scrapers E5. The stationary grinder has an annular disk F and a central trunk or cylinder F forming the annular space or pas- This grinder also has hard metal shoes F3 but these are on its bottom face and instead of having radial sides they are curved and do not quite join so that grooves or spaces F4 are left in the grinding surfaces curving from the inner to the outer periphery thereof. This grinder is supported by hangers or rods F5from cross-head or frame A7 and these rods have screwed ends so that by turning hand wheels F6 the weight of the grinder may be lifted from off the muller so as to obtain an easy start for the machine. This grinder is held to the stationary pan by means of hooks F7 in eyes F8 said hooks being connected to the rods F5. On the top 'of the grinder are Scrapers F9 connected by arms F10 to the hood or cap E2 of the muller trunk E. In the trunk E is a conveyer formed of a spiral blade G attached to pipe or sleeve G which is joined by means of collar and bearing G2 to another sleeve or hollow spindle G4 which passesinside of the sleeve or trunk A4 to a footstep bearing G5 on the back of toothed wheel B4 and carries upon itself a collar G6 by which it is prevented from lifting and a bevel toothed wheel G7 in gear with bevel toothed wheel H on counter-shaft H in bearings H2 on frame D and carrying fast and loose pulleys H2. In order that the bearings G2 and A5 may be easily lubricated they have a race or well on their upper edges and leading from thence the ports A6 and G3 as shown.

The counter-shafts O and H are revolved by any well known or appropriate mechanism say by means of endless belts from a motive power machine over fast and loose pulleys and the material to be amalgamated is treated preferably -in charges although it might be treated in continuous supply and discharge being supplied with water to the IOO pan as a fine pulp up to say the level marked a a. The bottom of the pan is supplied with mercury to say just above the level of the well A2 so as to have an unbroken surface of mercury to the stop or step of inner surface A3. Now in operation there is a continual supply of the material fed through the passage F2 to between the triturating surfaces of the shoes F3 of the stationary grinder E and the shoes E4 of the revolving muller E where it is finely ground and thence nds its way by centrifugal action and gravity to the bottom of the pan where it comes in contact with the mercury in wells A and A2 and while passing over said mercury and the surface A3 is agitated and rolled into the mercury by agitators or scrapers E6. All this time the spiral G elevates the pulp by drawing it over the mercury (the step or stop formed by surface A3 preventing said mercury moving toward the center) and discharges it through orifices E3 into space or passage F2 whence it finds its way between the triturating surfaces E4 and F3. At the same time the scrapers F2 agitate the pulp above the grinder F and insure that the centrifugal action will cause the material to seek the bottom of the pan. There is by this means a constant and positive flow of material or pulp from the amalgamating material or mercury to the triturating surfaces and back to the amalgamating surface or mercury and while this latter retains the heavier and valuable particles the others are being almost continually under the grinding operation while no grinding at all of the mercury takes place. When the charge is suiiciently treated the pulpy tailings are run out of the pan to waste or otherwise through openings A8 in its side and when the amalgam is sufeiently rich it is drawn off through plug hole A3. A false bottom Alois attached to the pan bottom so as to form a space to which steam might be introduced for the purpose of heating the pulp.

In addition to the mercury Wells there might be amalgamating surface at the bottom of the pan and further amalgamating surface if it be desired may be used by utilizing the outer surface of the trunk G and E and the inner and outer surfaces of the trunk F and the inner surface of the pan A or any one of such surfaces.

To preserve the mercury active in its amalgamating influence it may be electrolyzed in any well known manner. In the machine hereinbefore described a porous vessel containing an electrolyte such as sulphate of soda would be placed in the pan with the anode immersed therein while the mercury itself would act as the cathode. On the decomposition of the electrolyte hydrogen being liberated on the surface of the mercury would preserve it as desired.

Having now particu'arly described and explained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim isl. In an amalgamating machine of the class set forth the combination with a pan having mercury wells and amalgamating surfaces and means for triturating the material under treatment of a rotary conveyor adapted to cause a constant and positive flow or movement of the material from said amalgamating surfaces and mercury to the triturating surfaces and back to the amalgamating sul'- face and so on substantially as herein described.

2. In amalgamating machines of the class set forth the combination with a pan having mercury wells in its bottom of a muller having a central trunk and a grinder also having a central trunk and means for raising the material from the pan bottom through said trunk and discharging it so as to lead to and between said muller and grinder substantially as herein described.

3. In amalgamating machines of the class set forth the combination with a pan A having bottom with wells A and A2 and surface A3 and a stationary grinder therein of a revolving muller E having a central trunk E with orifices Ea and connection E2 to a vertical spindle B and means adapted to elevate or move the materialundertreatment through said trunk E and said orifices E3 substantially as herein described.

4. In amalgamating machines of the class set forth the combination with a pan A having bottom with amalgamating wells and surface and with a revolving muller E having a central trunk 0f a stationary grinder F having a trunk or cylindrical guard F to form annular space or passage F2 and a conveyer substantially as herein described.

5. In amalgamating machines of the class set forth the combination with a pan A a revolving muller E with trunk E and a stationary grinder E with a trunk or guard such as F of a vertical spindle B with actuating mechanism and hollow spindle or sleeve G'l (also with actuating mechanism) bearing and collar G2, sleeve G a conveyor adapted to cause an upward current in the trunk E substantially as herein described.

6. In amalgamating machines of the class set forth the combination with the revolving muller and its central trunk and hood and with the stationary grinder of scrapers F2 above the stationary grinder and the supports and drivers F10 extending from said scrapers to the revolving hood of the muller trunk substantially as herein described.

7. In amalgamating machines of the class set forth the combination with the pan having mercury wells A and A2 and surface A3 the grinder in said pan and with the revolving muller and its central trunk of agitators or scrapers EGon said muller bottom substantially as herein described.

8. In combination the pan, the grinder and revolving muller therein, the said muller having a central trunk, the spindle B for revolving the muller with its trunk, the gear Wheel IOC B4 on the spindle, the conveyer Within the muller trunk, and the hollow shaft G4 surrounding the spindle and connected with the conveyer, said hollow shaft having a bearing supporting the same, substantially as described.

9. In amalgamating machines of the class set forth the combination with the pan the revolving muller and the stationary grinder of a revolving spiral or helical blade G in aV trunk E and having communication with the 

